Halston: Spirit of the Seventies shimmers back to life

Though Roy Halston Frowick is no longer with us, the label he founded has made a stylish return, says Hilary Alexander

Glamour, seduction, sex appeal and big bucks - all the factors that once made Halston a byword for American luxury in the 1970s - dominated the label's comeback show on Monday.

Tamara Mellon of Jimmy Choo, one of the co-owners of the revived label, was there with her boyfriend, actor Christian Slater.

Also on the front row, recalling her heady days as muse and one of Roy Halston Frowick's fashionable clique at Studio 54, was Liza Minnelli wearing a vintage Halston trouser suit.

Meanwhile, Miramax mogul Harvey Weinstein, who has also invested in the brand and recently married Georgina Chapman, one half of the London-based Marchesa label, was talking money deals and Halston movies with the men in suits.

Behind the scenes, the designer Marco Zanini, formerly at Versace, was making last-minute checks.

Nowhere to be seen, though, was Hollywood stylist Rachel Zoe, who has been named as a consultant; "clashing commitments" was the mysterious explanation.

The collection - three styles from which are already on sale at
Net-a-porter.com
- was an exercise in sensual simplicity.

Minimal seams and maximum luxe made for a sophisticated and wearable wardrobe which was both contemporary and faithful to the Halston ethos.

Fine wool jersey and cashmere in mushroom, beige and cream, was used for sleek, slick cloaks, impeccably-cut coats and blazers, along with matching mid-calf skirts, flared trousers and polo necks - some of which were accessorized with mink mufflers.

Dresses - including the one worn front row by Tamara - were body-skimming in silk jersey. They stopped just on the knee and some featured graceful draped, "wings", while others had cowled necklines.

Best were the long-sleeved, fit-and-flare "abbess" dresses, which revealed daring amounts of the models' backs, a slinky, mushroom halter-neck gown with criss-cross straps and a cream silk jersey, backless goddess gown with a sheer poncho.

"Amazing," said Minelli. "I loved Halston. I never worried about what I looked like; everything worked. He put American fashion on the map and this collection captured his spirit."